Modular mini-golf obstacle kit

This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/652,487, filed May 1, 2024, now U.S. Pat. No. 12,109,470, which claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63/463,156, filed May 1, 2023, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Many people across the world play golf. Golf courses have risen in popularity, and along with them, have come mini golf courses. These are often a smaller version designed for putting, typically with some aspect of whimsical design and obstacles. At some point, brushing up on golf skills at home became popular through putting green pads. While people can practice their putting in a classic fashion, there largely has not been the same ability to play mini golf at home. By having the ability to create your own mini golf course—barriers, obstacles, and all—this could change. The industry could be changed as people could enjoy the pleasure of a mini golf game that they get to design from the comfort of their home, or anywhere they choose to bring it.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit for assembly on a playing surface including: a ramp element generally of prism shape having: an incline surface having a top level edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, and a base edge for contacting with the playing surface, a back, a base, oppositely disposed sides, a plurality of base receiving sockets disposed in the base adjacent to each side and to the back, a plurality of vertical receiving sockets disposed on each side adjacent to the back, a plurality of top level receiving sockets disposed at the top level edge adjacent to the back, a curb along the first side edge, and a curb along the second side edge; a wedge element generally of prism shape smaller than the ramp element and having a base edge for contacting with the playing surface, said wedge element having a male interlocking element at each of a first end and a second end of said wedge element; a gap element having a surface defining a space therethrough, said space at least as large as a golf ball, said gap element having a male interlocking element at each of a first end and a second end of said gap element; a wall element having two rectangular faces of like length substantially forming a right angle at their intersection, said wall element having a male interlocking element at each of a first end and a second end of said wall element; wherein each male interlocking element conforms to a common male configuration and each receiving socket conforms to a common receiving socket configuration in which any male interlocking element may be received into any receiving socket.

In some aspects, the embodiments described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit including two ramp elements.

In some aspects, the embodiments described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit wherein said ramp element further includes an interior storage space and the back of said ramp element defines an opening into said interior storage space.

In some aspects, the embodiments described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit wherein said common male configuration is T-shaped and said common receiving socket configuration is shaped to receive and interlock with any male interlocking element.

In some aspects, the embodiments described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit including a first set of wedges, walls, and gap having a first length and a second set of wedges, walls, and gap having a second length not equal to the first length.

In some aspects, the embodiments described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit wherein the plurality of base receiving sockets are two disposed adjacent to each side and four disposed to the back, the plurality of vertical receiving sockets are two disposed on each side adjacent to the back, and the plurality of top level receiving sockets are four.

In some aspects, the embodiments described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit wherein a slope of the incline surface is approximately 0.52.

In some aspects, the embodiments described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit wherein a slope of the wedge element is approximately 0.6.

In some aspects, the embodiments described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit wherein the incline surface includes an inclined planar surface.

In some aspects, the embodiments described herein relate to a modular miniature golf course obstacle kit wherein each curb tapers from a first height above the incline surface at the top level edge to zero at the base edge.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is now described with reference to the figures, where like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. While specific configurations and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other configurations and arrangements can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that this invention can also be employed in a variety of other systems and applications.

The present invention is fundamentally different from existing mini golf systems, as its pieces interlock in order to create a variety of configurations. This fills a gap in the market as the hole created is more than a simple putting green and has pieces that are connectable, rather than having stand-alone unconnected pieces.

An aim of the invention is to allow a user to build his/her own miniature golf hole at home using interconnecting pieces and obstacles, encouraging creativity through limitless combinations.

The invention may be embodied as various kits, each consisting of some number of pieces which interlock through one or more connecting mechanisms. The kits may represent different themes and allow a user to build his/her own configuration.

Within each kit, there may be a mat that serves as the starting point or tee, and a hole that serves as the end point. It will also contain various pieces in order to create a fun and challenging design. There may be some number of wedge pieces, some number of ramp pieces, some number of wall pieces, some number of bridge pieces, and some number of gap pieces, for example and without limitation. When put together, these pieces can represent a flexible design, with the ability to form multiple configurations for use. Pieces can be made of materials including, but not limited to, wood, foam, plastic, fiberglass, sheet metal, etc.

These pieces could interlock by any of a variety of means including, but not limited to, slide in connectors, screws, snaps, velcro, puzzle piece edges, magnets, etc. This can create structures that can be rigid or flexible, while maintaining the designed shape and configuration of the user's choice. Pieces feature a common interlocking mechanism making parts interchangeable and interconnectable.

Various kits that may embody this invention may have an overall theme which could also dictate what type of pieces are contained. For example, there could be a “tree” focused kit with obstacles representative of things made from wood-trees, ramps, bridges, etc., a “water” focused kit with obstacle designs representative of water features such as, waves, rounded mounts, swirls, banks, etc., or a “sand” focused kit with obstacle designs representative of sand traps, textured terrain, lumpy portions, etc.

With reference toillustrating a perspective view of kitcomponent elements of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, there may be various obstacles—optionally representative of some theme. Within kit, there are some number of various pieces and obstacles, such as but not limited to, some number of ramps, some number of gaps or bridges, some number of walls, and some number of wedges. Gaps, wedges, and wallsmay include one or more male interlocking elementsfor interlocking with a receiving socketon a ramp. Male interlocking elementsand receiving socketsmay be generally “T”-shaped. The elements of kitmay be assembled into a user's unique mini golf hole design. Kitmay optionally include one or more golf balls. Kitis portable, allowing the user to take it wherever he/she chooses, and may therefore be set up at home or at another location.

Ramp elementsinclude an incline base edge. When a rampis disposed on a mini-golf playing surface such as a floor or ground, incline base edgecontacts the surface, thereby permitting a golf ballhaving sufficient transverse momentum to roll up rampfrom the surface without a hop or pop that would occur from the ball hitting a curb-type or thick obstacle edge. Similarly wedge elementsinclude a wedge base edgeso that when a wedgeis placed on a surface, wedge base edgecontacts the surface thereby permitting a golf ballhaving sufficient transverse momentum to roll up wedgefrom the surface.

In some embodiments, the inclined playing surface of rampis an inclined plane having a slope of approximately 0.52. In some embodiments, the inclined playing surface of wedgeis an inclined plane having a slope of approximately 0.6.

In some embodiments, rampincludes one or two curbsdisposed on a side edge of the inclined surface of ramp. A curbcan function to inhibit a golf ballfrom rolling off the side edge and can be used by a skilled user for bank shots. With reference to, rampA has an opening, thereby providing access to storage space, in which other kitcomponents can be stored and transported.

respectively illustrate bottom perspective views of exemplary ramp elementsandA. A rampmay include one or more base receiving socketsB, permitting connection of other elements at the base of ramp. A rampmay include one or more vertical receiving socketsV, permitting connection of other elements along a vertical edge of ramp. A rampmay include one or more top level receiving socketsL, permitting connection of other elements along a top level edge of ramp.

respectively illustrate upper and bottom perspective views of an exemplary assemblage of an embodiment of a kit. In this assemblage, two rampsare connected back-to-back by several other elements including wedgesattached at the base of ramps, permitting up-and-over ball play over the wedgesand between the ramps. Additionally, rampsare connected at top level by wallsand gap. This configuration creates a challenging ball play to shoot the ball up one of the ramps and across the bridge formed by wallsand gapwithout going off the far edge of the bridge or falling through spacecreated by the gap. Alternatively, falling through spacecreated by the gapmight be the objective of the ball play.

illustrate perspective views of exemplary gap elementsandA in accordance with embodiments of the invention. Gap elementdefines a space, through which a golf ball may travel. When gap elementis oriented vertically, e.g., by attachment to rampvia vertical receiving socketsV, the ball can roll on the playing surface through spaceas a doorway. When gap elementis oriented horizontally, e.g., by attachment to rampvia top level receiving socketsL, the ball can fall through spaceas a hole or hazard.

respectively illustrate perspective views of a wall elementand wedge elementin accordance with embodiments of the invention. Walland wedgemay be oriented upside down for game play, including to create a bridge surface from a first rampto a second rampwhen wedgeand/or wallare socketed in the top level receiving socketsL of ramps. Seefor illustration of bottom surfaces of wedgeand wall.

It should be noted that in some kitembodiments, gap, gapA, wall, and wedgemay have a common dimensional length l. In other embodiments, kitmay include a set of gap, wall, and wedge elements of length l and another set of gap, wall, and wedge elements of length K where K≠l. In some embodiments, elements may have a general thickness h of about 10 mm, including thickness of connecting elements.

Elements manufactured by injection plastic molding or 3D printing techniques are contemplated to be within the scope of this invention.

The present invention has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the implementation of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.